Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German writer, poet, and philosopher, had a deep appreciation for both music and painting.

Goethe saw music as a purely temporal art form and painting as a spatial art form, but despite these differences, he believed that music and painting shared a common essence. He saw both art forms as manifestations of the same underlying creative impulse.

The relationship between music and painting went beyond their formal qualities. He saw them as interconnected modes of expression that could inspire and enrich each other. Goethe believed that music could awaken the imagination and enhance the visual experience of a painting, while painting could provide a visual counterpart to the emotional and atmospheric qualities of music. In his book “Theory of Colors,” Goethe explored the relationship between colors and emotions, drawing parallels between the emotional effects of colors in painting and the expressive power of music. He believed that colors, like musical harmonies, could evoke specific emotional responses and create a certain mood or atmosphere.

Goethe also emphasized the importance of the viewer or listener in experiencing art - the true meaning and effect of a work of art could only be fully realized through the active engagement and interpretation of the audience.

Su Ai’s watercolor inspired by Leoš Janáček’s String Quartets

Su Ai

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On the relationship between painting and music _Goethe